Nursing bottle



June 16, 1942. DYUERME 2,286,797

NURSING BOTTLE Filed June 21, 1940 Patented June 16, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in nursing bottles and appertenances and is a continuation-in-part of my application for United States patent on Nursing bottles, Serial No. 268,669, filed April 19, 1939, which matured into Patent No. 2,208,360 and issued July 16, 1940.

Heretofore nipples of various sizes, shapes and forms have been used on nursing bottles in an attempt to obtain an even flow of the liquid therefrom during infant feeding periods, but experience has proved that bottle-fed babies do not obtain a uniform or constant flow of the liquid from nursing bottles because of the partial vacuum formed in the bottles when the liquid is being withdrawn. The liquid has been found to be released in squirts from the nipples when the infant compresses the nipple, the liquid therefore, being forced into the passageways of the throat to cause choking and coughing many times during feeding periods. Also, because of the vacuum formed in the bottle the liquid is found to be emitted spasmodically, causing the baby to open its mouth and suck in air which resultsin the swallowing of a mixture of air and liquid. Such conditions naturally tend to lengthen the time required to empty the bottle of its contents. Hence, the feeding periods are also lengthened accordingly causing the next regular feeding period to be shifted further forward and thereby creating irregular feeding periods.

In many instances it has been found that hiccoughs, belching and vomiting have followed the bottle feeding period. This is believed to have been caused by the excessive air that is introduced into the stomach, having been swallowed by the baby in its troublesome efforts to suck the liquid through the nipple. Whenever this air happens to pass down into the intestines of the baby, which is very often the case, the baby naturally suffers from flatulence and has pains in its abdomen. This is commonly called colic and if severe it often leads to grave abdominal disturbances. I

These conditions frequently occur, and all these objectionable disturbances tend to endanger the lives of bottle fed babies. It is believed that these and other objectionable features have been overcome by the device of the present invention.

It is the primary object of this invention to cure these inherent defects by producing a nursing bottle and nipple wherein the flow of the bottle will be even and constant.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a device of this character wherein yielding means liquid from located in the interior of th bottle are utilized 55 to equalize the pressure in the bottle with that of the atmosphere;

to provide a nursing nipple having a tubular extension formed integrally thereon to retain a collapsible pouch; to equip a bottle interiorly with a collapsible rubber pouch to compensate for vacuum tendencies; and to provide a nursing bottle which is simple in construction, positive in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing-the bottle substantially filled with liquid.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the bottle partially emptied.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the nipple and taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the pouch.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the rigid shell I is preferably constructed of glass or the like and is provided with a closed end 2 and an open end 3 which is adapted to receive, and be closed by, a rubber nipple I. The open end 3 of the shell is provided with a pair of annular circumferential beads 5 and 6 on the outside wall to provide a means for positively retaining the nipple 2 on the shell I.

The nursing nipple 4 is preferably made of rubber and is provided with the usual discharge opening 1, and an integrally formed downwardly extending tubular part 8. A diagonally disposed vent opening 9 forms a communication between the outer surface of the nipple I and the inside of the tube 8 as will be apparent. An elongated rubber pouch l0 having a reinforcing bead, is adapted to be inserted into the interior of the shell I through the opening 3 after the mouth thereof has been stretched over the open end of the tubular member 3.

In operation, the bottle-is first filled with the liquid in the usual manner through the mouth opening 3 in the shell I. The rubber pouch is then secured on the tubular member 8 and the pouch inserted through the opening 3 aind finally the nipple 4 attached to the shell I in the usual manner, whereupon the bottle is ready for use. In feeding, the bottle is partially inverted and the contents withdrawn in the usual manner through the opening 1 in nipple I. It will now be apparent that as the contents of the bottle are withdrawn the rubber pouch III is automatically filled with air which enters the pouch through the opening 9. The air enters the touch in direct proportion to the amount of liquid withdrawn, thereby equalizing the pressure within the bottle with that of the atmosphere and thus permitting a constant and uniform withdrawal of the contents of the bottle. I

In actual use it has and constant at a rate of from forty to fifty drops per minute at body temperature until the bottle is emptied of the contents. Physicians recommend that infants consume one or more mmces of mill; within three to five minutes during the feeding period. This result is readily obtainable by employing the device of my present invention.

Furthermore, this device is more readily cleaned and sterilized than those on the market today, because the rubber pouch and the nipple are separable and may be placed in a sterilizing solution and remain therein until ready for reuse. As the inside of the rubber pouch Ill never comes in contact with the fluid, when the unit been found that the liquid in the bottle of my invention will flow uniformly tubular member, and a collapsible pouch having a mouth, said pouch adapted to be inserted into the interior of said bottle and the mouth thereof stretched over and frictionally secured to said tubular member, said vent and tubular member forming an open,1'mobstructed passage between the exterior of said nipple and the interior of said pouch; all constructed and arranged to cause an even discharge flow of liquid in drops from the'bottle when the nipple is compressed and the bottle inverted.

is assembled and ready for use bacteria cannot enter and contaminate the liquid in the bottle.

It will be understood that some of the details set forth may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a bottle having an opening at one end in combination with a nursing nipple having a discharge opening, a tubular member integrally formed on the inner wall of said nipple and having an unobstructed vent opening extending from the exterior of said nipple and into the interior of said 2. In a device of the clas described, a bottle having an opening at one end, in combination with a nursing nipple having a discharge opening, a tubular member integrally formed on the inner wall of .said nipple and having an unobstructed vent opening extending from the exterior of said nipple and into the interior of said tubular member, said tubular member formed to one side of said discharge opening, said vent opening being of considerably smaller area than the area of said tubular member and a collapsible pouch having a month, said pouch adapted to be inserted into the interior of said bottle and the mouth thereof stretched over and frictionally secured to said tubular member, said vent and tubular member forming an open, unobstructed passageway between the exterior of said nipple and the interior of said pouch; all constructed and arranged to cause an even discharge flow of liquid in drops from the bottle when the nipple is compressed and the bottle inverted.

' FRANCISCO M. DUERME. 

